


Unconnections: A Book of One Shots

by orphan_account



Series: One Shot Books [1]
Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Announcements, Anxiety, Apocalypse, Bars, Blood, Blurryface, Broken Bones, But more like a bromance for the most part, College AU, Concerts, Cute, Deadly situations, Dreams, Drinking, Engineer!Josh, Festival, Fluff, Folklife, Funny, Gun Violence, Hiking, Magic, Magic AU, Magic!Tyler, Mario Kart, Marriage, Mountains, Music Festival, Nuclear Apocalypse AU, One Shot Collection, Open Mic, Physicist!Tyler, Shooting, Slight Joshlery Themes, Stressful Situations, Texting During Class, Unexpected injury, Wedding, Writing, broken wrist, calming, crowds, cute couple stuff, mage!Tyler, note passing, rain storms, space, the clique - Freeform, tour bus breaks down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-07-29
Packaged: 2019-05-29 23:27:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 19,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15084071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: A book of Twenty-One Pilots one shots starting at five hundred words and getting progressively longer.None of these are connected, some might have shipping, all are clean, and some may even be AU.All are inspired by one word.You never know what tomorrow brings, and since these aren't planned in advance, neither do I.Tags will be updated as I writeAlso being posted on Wattpad with the same title





	1. Arm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh injures himself in a stupid way. Because we can all be idiots sometimes.

 Josh couldn't believe it. He couldn't fucking believe it. He could do backflips off a piano. He could ride an audience while playing the drums. He skateboarded for fun. But no. Here he was. A grown ass man sitting in the hospital waiting room and trying his goddamn hardest to not cry while cradling his arm. And for the stupidest reason too. 

He'd tripped. That was all it took was he tripped and landed funny. He wasn't going to cry about it though. He refused to cry. Even though his entire wrist was turning black and blue and swelling. Even though it hurt like all hell. He was not going to cry. This was mostly due to the fact that there was a girl across the waiting room wearing merch and not so subtly taking pictures of him and his brother on her phone. 

Jordan had asked if he wanted him to tell her off. He'd shook his head. It wouldn't work. The pictures were probably already up. Already spreading. Probably going to be dissected and searched until there was nothing left of them. Everyone speculating on why he was in the hospital and what happened to his arm. He was sure they'd ask about what this meant for the new album and future shows. He'd be fine in a couple of weeks, but he knew the world would make it into a big deal that didn't need to be made. 

The nurse called his name. Jordan hung back while he headed in. He had a feeling that his brother was going to talk to the young girl while he was away. It just seemed like the sort of thing his brother would do. Trying to protect him even though he was used to the whole fame thing already. It was sweet. 

Half an hour and plenty of painkillers later, Josh was told that he broke his wrist. A double fracture of the radius and ulna just before they met his hand bones. He was too high to figure out a response. Apparently morphine did that to people. He was slightly dizzy as he watched the doctor work, wrapping his arm in the immobilizer and plaster cast. Black. He'd asked for it to be black. 

Jordan was there again when it was time to leave. Josh didn't know where he'd appeared from. He was saying words. A lot of words about pictures and something about the fans. He said he'd called Tyler and told him what happened. Josh didn't care. He just wanted to go home. Home sounded really nice. Home and a nap. 

As they walked down the hall he saw the girl again. She was sitting all alone on a chair, sniffling softly. Something was wrong. He knew something was wrong. He stopped, ignoring Jordan's protests and moved over to sit with her. She looked up, her eyes widening in surprise. 

"Hey," he said, "Do you want to sign my cast?" 

She nodded slowly, smiling through her tears. 


	2. Minimize

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Working through the anxiety of being good enough

Anxiety was overwhelming. It was pressure directly on Tyler's shoulders, constantly holding him down. It was worry upon worry that made him feel as though no matter how much he did and redid his work, nobody was going to enjoy it. They would hate it, and they would vocalize their hate and their anger. He'd let the fans down. He didn't want that. He just wanted things to be good. He wanted them to love the work he did. 

These fears and anxieties are what led Josh to finding him hunched over a desk with his head in his hands, papers with half loved lyrics scrawled across them crumpled up and littering the floor. Josh shook his head and stepped over, gently leading Tyler from his seat. He didn't really talk, as it seemed to be an unspoken bond between them, and Josh knew how important the perfection was to Tyler. It was just anxiety getting in the way. To fix the block, he had to reduce the anxiety. 

This didn't always mean talking about it. Tonight, he realized, was not a talking night. It was more of an "let's go on a walk" sort of night. So that's what he did. He took Tyler outside so they could walk and breath in the fresh air. Beneath bright stars and a full moon on a clear night. It was quiet. The sound of crickets and their footsteps against the pavement, the wind in the leaves around them. Nothing too intensely interesting, just the motion of being beside each other. 

Tyler almost wished that it was raining. He wished that he could scream his frustration into a thunder storm. He wished he could cry without his tears being seen. But all he could do was move. He was tempted to run ahead of Josh. To run until his mind couldn't keep up. But he contained the anxious energy and walked with his best friend, not able to focus on the crisp beauty of the night around them.

They arrived back at the house and his mind was still racing. It was running circles around him just out of his reach. When he tried to go back to writing, he was pulled away from his desk and he instead found a video game controller stuck in his hand. The next thing he knew, Josh was kicking his ass at Mario Kart. He took a deep breath, deciding to focus on getting the upper hand in the game, his mind wandering away from a level of perfection that was utterly unachievable. 

Time passed and almost all worry faded. He won one game. And then another. They stopped for snacks, and then Josh won, but he won after than. It was good. Healthy even. When he stepped back into writing it was different. The lyrics were still difficult, but they weren't impossible. The beat was Josh, messing around on his drum set and inspiring the thoughts that came next. It wasn't perfection, but that just meant that the next one could be even better. 


	3. Mage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler is a mage in high school, and Josh just wants to be his friend.

He'd been born with the marks of course, like every mage was. Inked into his skin, permanently a part of him. He tended to consider himself lucky though. At least his marks weren't on his face like some peoples were. He'd seen the way that normal people reacted. It made him sick to his stomach sometimes. If they saw his, they'd look at him like that. 

It wasn't like Tyler's abilities were entirely useful. He didn't even know how to use them, though he knew that music triggered them. And with mage's being so incredibly frowned upon, it was impossible to learn. Most places even had the right to refuse him service if they saw the rings on his arm and thought he might be using whatever he was buying for his magics. Plants, pets, cooking supplies, pens and paper, instruments... Anything that might be used in magic could be withheld. 

He lived as an outcast. Either the other students in the school were jabbing as him and telling him to do something cool, or they were making fun of him. "The worlds most useless mage" they would say. 

Josh had never met a mage before. They weren't rarities, but they were uncommon. When he saw the younger boy, he couldn't believe his luck. It was in the lunch room. Of course Tyler was alone, and he nearly jumped out of his skin when Josh sat next to him. 

Tyler looked at the boy with brightly colored hair, wondering what sort of questions he'd ask, and how he'd torture him for simply existing. But Jost did no such thing. He just sat and ate his sandwich. 

"Hey," he said, "I'm Josh. I just moved in." He smiled. 

Tyler didn't smile back. "Tyler." He spoke bluntly. He knew Josh probably already knew exactly who and what he was, the entire school knew about him. It made him the preferred punching bag of anyone slightly larger than he was, which was pretty much everyone. 

"Do you mind if I sit here?" Josh asked, a little bit nervous. He didn't know if Tyler would attack him or use his abilities to harm him in some way, "I mean... You were alone. And I just thought... Y'know... Everybody needs a friend." He managed to stutter out the sentence, hoping it wouldn't be taken as offensive. 

"Whatever. It's not like I can make you leave," Tyler replied, feeling rather bitter. He'd been hurt by too many people pretending to be friends. So many of them just wanted to get close and see if they could benefit from saying they had a mage friend. They did it to seem better than they were. 

"Well sure you can," Josh replied, "All you gotta do is ask." He wanted Tyler to know that he would leave him alone if he wanted him too. He didn't want to hurt him. 

Tyler looked at him. He looked him up and down. But he didn't ask him to leave. So Josh went back to his sandwich, smiling to himself. He'd befriended the mage, and it was definitely going to be interesting. 


	4. Conglomerate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Looking out at the Clique and letting them look back at him

Tyler loved this part. The stillness. Talking directly to them. Feeling safe as he stepped off the stage. The only movement the parting of the crowd as he moved through it. A soft beat played in the background as he spoke, able to see their faces up close. 

A twenty year old girl with red lips and passion in her eyes. 

A young boy with scars on his arms. 

A child who simply loved the noise that Tyler would gratefully provide. 

Everyone came from a different background. They were individuals with worlds and story's all their own. And they were all coming together for one experience. They were all there to dance together and lose themselves in the beat. He drew it out only a few moments longer, knowing that the prerecorded track would be picking up any moment. 

The twelve year old who lived for his music. 

The parents who came to watch their children, to protect them. 

The people who could only come out to the strangers that surrounded them. 

These people were Tyler's inspiration. They were the reason that he kept going. They were the words in all his songs and the beat that Josh shook the stadium with. They were his success and downfall and he loved them all. He didn't know their names, but he loved them all. 

The beat hit and the crowd closed in, all dancing around him. Some tried to simply reach out and touch him. Some tried to grab. He wouldn't deny that it sometimes worried him that one of the more extreme fans would take it too far and someone would get hurt, but they all danced anyways. 

He was lifted into the air by a thousand hands, riding the tidal wave that the music had created back onto the stage so that he could sing once again. So that the thousands of voices could sing back at him for a thousand different reasons until he couldn't hear himself above them all. Until they were all lost in the thought that this was something bigger than a single show. 

I really was and Tyler knew it. 

It was his music playing on the radio. 

It was the businesswoman who listened to it on his way to work.

The dad who sang along with his kids on their way to soccer practice. 

The young authors writing their fanfictions. 

And the artists making their art. 

Their was more to everything than the show he played now. It was the thousands of people from thousands of places all bonding over music that had thousands of different meanings. It was differences that connected them all, held them together, and let them dance. 

It was a single voice to which they all related. His voice. Standing up on stage and singing out to them, he knew this was true. Watching them dance together, he knew this was true. For tonight they were intimately connected. Tomorrow they would return to casual lives in separate places, but for tonight, nothing would tear them apart. 

For that reason he sang. For that reason, he would never stop singing. Until morning, they were a single entity, united by music. 


	5. Ideal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tour bus breaks down and the boys have to handle it

It was definitely not good. Not good at all. Josh had been napping when it had happened, and now Tyler was on the phone and Josh could tell that he wasn't enjoying the conversation. Long story short, they were on their way to Seattle on the tour bus, and they had broken down. The nearest town was Moses Lake, two hours away. But they'd most likely need to back track all the way to Spokane and catch the soonest leaving flight. They also needed to wait for a ride because their driver couldn't figure out what was wrong. 

Of course Josh was nervous as well. The likelihood of making it to Seattle in time for the show was slim to none. Which meant rescheduling, unhappy fans, and even more exhaustion. As Tyler got off the phone, he sighed. "Fuck..." he said, not really sure how else to say it, "Just... Of all times that this could go wrong... And all the equipment is in the bus... Fuck..." 

Josh shook his head. "I know man. We can make a vlog about it or something... Do you think that would help? Some Instagram live video footage to show what happened?" He tilted his head to the side, "I know it's not the most... ideal situation, but I'm sure everyone will understand. Things happen." 

"I know they'll understand," Tyler said, his voice soft, "I just wish we could get there on time. But it's gonna take two hours for a mechanic to get here, and they're probably gonna need to tow us two hours to Moses Lake and-" 

"I know the time stuff," Josh said, "But let's find a bright side? Do you think we can do that? Find a bright side to this superbly shitty situation?"

"Um..." Tyler swallowed, "I dunno if there is one... I mean... It's pretty shitty to break down in the middle of no where." 

Josh scrunched his nose. "Uh... Well... Washington is beautiful this time of year? We can attempt to steal some corn or something?" He smiled, trying to make a joke out of the fields of produce they'd been passing for the past hour. 

Tyler simply shot him a look that showed he wasn't in the mood. There really just wasn't much good in the situation, almost none at all. "I gotta make some more phone calls," he muttered, "Let FBR know what's happening so that they can deal with it and decide what to do when we can't make it on time." 

Josh nodded. He still wanted to cheer Tyler up but the entire situation was incredibly stressful. They'd made the fans wait for this and he knew that some had done everything in their power just to be at the concert. But... There was really nothing he could do to stop it. He shot their manager a text asking about a live stream on Instagram, and it was confirmed. 

With a soft sigh he opened the app and started it up. As usual, there was a few seconds and then viewers started pouring in. 

"Hey guys!" he said, mostly ignoring the comments at the bottom of the screen, he took a deep breath, it would be okay, "Not so good news right now-" 


	6. Announce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When dreams become a reality

"I had the craziest dream last night," Tyler said over breakfast one morning. This led to a massive internal sigh from Jenna. He'd always been the type to talk about his dreams and their meanings, whether the person he was talking to wanted to change the subject or not. "It was one of those super realistic ones," he added, "Like you know those dreams where you pee and you wake up and you really peed?" 

"So you had a dream where you peed?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him, "Ty... Do I need to go change the sheets?" She smiled, knowing that he hadn't actually wet the bed, but just wanting to give him a hard time because she could. 

He rolled his eyes playfully, "My bad, that was poorly explained," he smiled, "No... I was more like... When everything is super realistic and when you wake up you keep thinking it was real until you find out it's not." He looked almost sheepish as he said this, trying to find the words to say what he wanted. The topic had been broached in the past, but he'd never really gotten a clear answer. 

Jenna tilted her head to the side, "Okay... She said, "So what did you dream about last night? What were you hoping beyond all hope was real?" She took a bite of her cereal, hoping it would be what she thought it was. 

"Well... I dreamed that you were pregnant," Tyler admitted, "But... It was broken memories. Like... you telling me, my ear against your stomach, feeling our baby kick, holding them for the first time." 

She nodded as he explained it. He'd brought it up several times already, so she wasn't surprised at all that it was coming up again. She thought about the test in her underwear drawer, the one she'd been hiding for a week now. 

"And," he continued, "I realized it couldn't have been real because... Well, I can't remember what our baby looked like. When I try to think about it, it's a blur..." He looked down at his bowl, "What do you think this means?" 

It was the usual question, but this time she wouldn't fake the answer. She knew exactly what to say. "Well... Maybe it's your subconscious trying to tell you something," she said, "Like... It's figured something out that you haven't realized yet. And maybe the baby is a blur because... you haven't met them yet." 

He choked on his cereal, having tried to swallow when she spoke. It ended in a massive coughing fit, her having to stand and pat him on the back in the hope that he would be able to breath. He finally managed it, taking deep ragged breaths as he turned to her. "Jenna..." he said slowly, "A- Are you... y'know... um... baby?" He smiled despite the tears in his eyes, "Are you pregnant?"

She nodded. At first slowly, then rapidly. "Yeah," she said, "I was planning to do a really cute announcement and the morning sickness has been hell to hide but... there's a baby in there Ty... You're gonna be a dad." 

He was grinning now, looking up at her like she was his whole world. He couldn't believe it. He leaned in, kissing her stomach, happier than ever. 


	7. Shot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A walk turns into a fight for Tyler's life
> 
> TW: Gun Violence

It hadn't been expected. That was for damn sure. Josh and Tyler had been walking to Taco Bell or Burger King or something in broad daylight. It was just a chance to catch their breath between shows. Not supposed to be exciting or anything. Just a walk to get fast food and breathe. Maybe a few fans would stop them for a selfie, but that was normal for them. 

The gunshots were not expected. They weren't meant for the boys, but Tyler hit the ground anyways. Bystanders of violence becoming unexpected targets. "Tyler!" Josh was yelling, "Tyler!" His friend was on his knees, the heels of his palms pressed into his abdomen where blood was collecting. "Tyler..." Josh didn't know what else to say. 

Nine one one. He was supposed to call for emergencies. His friend had been shot as they passed an office building. He didn't know where the bullet had come from, but his friend had been shot. He fumbled with his phone. The back of Tyler's shirt was wet. There was a hole in it. The white was quickly turning red. He fell back with a groan, unable to speak through the pain. 

"Help..." he said to the operator, "Please... It's my friend... He got shot... I don't know what to do..." Tears were beginning to pool in his eyes, "I don't know where we are..." A crowd was beginning to grow around them and a hand found his shoulder. He shoved the bloody phone at the person, wanting them to pass the information along. He could hear them talking. 

There were sirens in the distance, rapidly approaching. He figured there were for anyone else who'd been hit. Someone was coming for his friend though. They had to be coming for Tyler. They had to save him. It wasn't Twenty One Pilots without him. 

"Hold on buddy," he said, "They're gonna help you." He was kneeling in his best friends blood, "Please hold on they'll save you." He could feel it soaking through his jeans as he pressed his hands to Tyler's injury, "Please let them save you." 

The crowd was pushed away and he felt hands trying to pull him away from his best friend. There were people in black. They were there beside him, doing something that Josh couldn't see. There was a stretcher. They were taking him away. They were going to save him. They were going to save Tyler. They had to. 

He couldn't breathe. His breathing was everywhere and uneven and wrong. He was shaking and sobbing as he was guided by the people in black. He was sat down on the end of an ambulance, a blanket was wrapped around his shoulders. He couldn't do this. He couldn't believe this. 

He could see them moving his best friend. He could see people with their phones out, filming it. His phone was still with the stranger. He wondered where they were. Tyler was shot. He'd been shot by a face that neither one of them had seen. There was a chance that he wouldn't make it. He needed to call Jenna. He needed to tell her what had happened to her husband. 

Someone sat beside him and he looked over. It was a man. He was holding something out. It was a blood covered phone. Josh took it, dialing for Tyler's wife. 

 


	8. Tourist

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh and Tyler spend a day at Folk Life in Seattle

Days off felt nice. Especially in places where there was something to do. Like in Seattle. Tomorrow the boys would be kicking off the international part of the tour, but for today they had a chance to explore. There were several different options, and while Pike's Place seemed like it could definitely be interesting, Josh wanted to see the top of the Space Needle and there was supposed to be some sort of music festival happening in Seattle Center, so they opted for that instead. Sure they were more likely to be recognized there, but it was better than fighting the crowds. 

The day was sunny and warm, and from the moment they stepped into the park they were surrounded by the sounds of drums and guitar, all competing but working in unison. Josh could immediately see that Tyler was in heaven. He was grinning and bouncing up and down, looking from one busker to the next, not sure who he wanted to dance for more. He spun and Josh laughed, loving how childish such a simple thing could make him. 

Of course they were recognized. It would be impossible not to be. The first time they'd stopped at one of the stages and a random girl started dancing with them. Josh wasn't sure if she was drunk or high, but she wore a red polka dot dress and her hair was tied back with a length of blue cloth. She smiled up at him, letting him twirl her before someone else entirely caught her and she said something about sexy drummers. 

One of the buskers was playing their music on a ukulele so they slid in next to them, Josh using a bucket and his hands to drum and Tyler singing right along with them. They all laughed, pictures and videos were taken, and the day continued onwards. 

Folk Life. They learned the name of the festival was Folk Life. They'd played Bumbershoot in twenty sixteen, but this had such a different vibe to it. Nobody payed to get in, no one signed up to busk. If you had an instrument you just enjoyed yourself and Tyler really couldn't get enough. There was no big names, nobody forcing an act. It was spontaneous emotion and street food. 

They ate Greek Fries under a tree, sitting with boy with a guitar and his girlfriend who had a spiked purple mohawk. They learned that the two were engaged. Marcy, the mohawk girl, was a preschool teacher, and Benson, the boy, was trying to be a musician. It was an easy conversation, and the pair weren't pushy, they didn't try to get anything from the boys, they just spent some time existing together. 

Josh missed it. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed being able to simply exist without the pedestal he'd been placed on. He wouldn't trade it for the world, but he missed having a conversation without photos and questions he couldn't quite answer. 

After lunch they kept walking. They danced, they chatted, they took photos with fans and posted videos of buskers on their Instagrams (making sure to tag them and let people know who they were). It was a good day. Busy and full of life and love. There was no anger, just people being people. Tyler finding a post card to send Jenna, Josh drumming in the drum tent with strangers, and an air of great things. 


	9. Mountain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spending the day on a mountaintop

Out of the city and up a hill. Josh and Tyler were having the time of their lives as they made their way up the side of the mountain, and Jenna had actually been able to make it this time. The talk was easy, the breeze was light, and the air was clean against their faces. It was a day where nothing could go wrong. 

They were almost to the top of the world when the clouds started to appear in the clear blue sky. Nothing threatening, just soft white cotton balls hanging by thin threads. Josh just smiled, snapping photos on his phone for Instagram and Snapchat. The breeze was picking up, and he blamed it on the altitude. 

The top of this particular mountain was a popular picnic spot for hikers, and despite the beauty of the day, they were the only ones there. They pulled the blanket out of Tyler's backpack and their snacks out of Josh's and sat. Little chipmunks gathered nearby and they tossed grapes to the creatures, watching their excitement as they munched on the sweet fruits. 

Tyler had brought a ukulele and so he played while the three chatted, catching up on life since this was the first time either of them had seen Jenna since the tour started. Josh asked how life was treating her and she asked if he'd stolen her husband yet. They all laughed, not even watching the clouds roll in. 

By the time they were packing up to head back down the mountain, it was definitely beginning to look like rain. It had been so sunny that morning that none of them had bothered to check the weather before going out. They grimaced at the sky, walking quicker than they had when they'd gone upwards. 

By the time they reached the car they were all drenched, their clothes sticking to their bodies as the downpour raged around them. Even so, they still laughed about it, Jenna taking a video of the three of them from the passenger seat as Tyler started to drive. Josh made sure to shake out his hair for the camera, making Jenna laugh. It was good despite the mess. Everything was good. 

The clouds were dark, turning the day to black as the world was washed clean around them. They turned up the radio and sang along. But it still didn't take long for Josh to fall asleep in the backseat, his head back as he snored softly. Jenna stared out the window, Tyler's fingers tangled with hers against her thigh and a soft smile on her face. 

"Today was a good day?" Tyler asked, between the scrapes of the windshield wipers against their window. 

"Today was the best day," she corrected, glancing over at him with a bright, though definitely tired smile, "The only question now is, who's gonna carry our son to the hotel room?" 

Tyler laughed, glancing into the rearview mirror at Josh. "I think it'll be a team effort hon," he said, squeezing her hand gently. He turned his attention back to the road. 

It was night now, and the storm was beginning to thin. The rain wasn't as aggressive as it had been before, it was soft. The countryside was quickly turning to houses and soon a city would build itself around them. Jenna was right, it had been the best day, and Tyler was glad they'd been able to have it. He couldn't wait for the next one.


	10. National

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Early TØP getting drunk in a bar and talking about the future.

There was a certain energy that Tyler had whenever he and Josh played a show. Sure they weren't famous or anything, but it was still something fantastic whenever they got on stage in a bar or garage. It was fun. And people seemed to like what they did and they sometimes bought albums. So that was amazing. It almost felt like they were really making it, even when no one really showed up, at least they were doing something. 

Tonight had them both a few drinks in, thinking ahead, wondering what came next. They'd just gotten of the stage at an open mic. Technically they didn't have to play, but they'd wanted to. Josh really didn't remember which song they'd done, but it had been a show and a way to get themselves out there. 

"We're gonna be famous someday," Tyler insisted, taking a long sip of his drink, "Making headlines all around the world or some shit. It's gonna be..." He smiled, shaking his head, "And I'm gonna find a beautiful wife to love-"

"And I'm just gonna keep drumming," Josh finished with a laugh. He couldn't believe how far they'd come already. Today they were making noise, but people were beginning to recognize them locally. They had a name here, and soon it would be everywhere. Around the world and in their own backyards. 

"And you'll just keep drumming," Tyler agreed. Sure they were sleeping in a van right now, barely able to afford the clothes on their backs, but tomorrow they could end up signed. Someday it would be nothing but five star hotels and a grand tour bus for the both of them and only top of the line equipment. 

"We're gonna make it big Ty," Josh said, "I absolutely know it. I know it for a fact." He knew he was definitely tipsy right now, a single drink away from drunk, but it was good. His head was in the clouds and they were both busy dreaming of bigger and better things. Glamour and glory and music. 

"And I'm gonna write songs for my future wife," Tyler said, clearly giddy and definitely already drunk on the possibilities. There was so much that might happen, so many things to come. So many wonderful maybe's just ahead of them. 

"Your  _beautiful_ future wife," Josh reminded him, "Your absolutely wonderful and drop dead gorgeous future wife." He giggled softly. Actually giggled. It was so odd to think about. One day they might both be married with kids and the band, "But I'll always be your favorite husband." 

Tyler laughed at that. "Oh yeah. I'm sure plenty of people will think we're actually married or something. I mean... You see how like... Panic! at the Disco and Fall Out Boy fans react to the band members." 

"But we're nowhere near that level," Josh shook his head, "Nah. I doubt we'll get there." He smiled, "But like... What if?" He laughed, finishing his drink and setting it on the table, "What if we did Ty?" 

Tyler snorted, "Then you'll still be my favorite husband," he said, smiling crookedly, "Even when I have my beautiful wife." He laughed at his own joke and finished off his own drink. "Just you wait Josh, we're gonna be so big today. There won't be a person in this world who hasn't heard of Twenty One Pilots! We'll play arenas and.. and.. places and..." 

"And we should probably get back to the van," Josh said, smiling crookedly, "We have a meeting with that guy tomorrow." 


	11. Gravity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh is an engineer and Tyler is a physicist on the spaceship "Hometown"

Josh wasn't used to the whole space thing yet.  He was the new kid on the station, prepping to serve the stars for a five year mission. It sounded a lot cooler than he thought it was. Really he was just an engineer, one of two on board the station. The other was a guy named Mark, but there really wasn't enough down time to get to know him as much more than a room mate. 

The vessel, kindly dubbed Hometown by it's crew, was one of a kind. It had started out as a simple experiment in gravity, not meant to last more than one or two years. But ten years had passed since its initial launch and with regular maintenance it was bound to last ten more. This was Josh's job. He was just a maintenance man, walking through the halls and fixing things while scientists bustled by, mostly ignoring him. 

Until about a month in. One man stopped. "I didn't know employees could have hair dye..." he said, referring to Josh's bright blue mohawk. 

Josh looked up from the panel he was wiring. "They can if they ask nicely," he said, smiling at the other, "Don't you have somewhere you need to be?" 

"Not until four," the other said, "I'm Dr. Joseph. Tyler Joseph that is." 

"Josh Dun. And that's Mr. Dun. I ain't no doctor," He turned back to his work, sliding the panel back into place. 

"Well not a doctor Dun," Dr. Joseph said, "I lied about the four thing. But... Maybe I'll see you at dinner?" 

"Possibly," Josh said, "I don't really eat with the science people." 

"Great! I'll see you then!" Dr. Joseph cried, before taking off to do whatever science he had to do. 

It hit Josh that the other had been flirting. One hundred percent trying to flirt in his own awkward little way. He realized he really hadn't even taken a look at him, and had no clue who he would be sitting with. He swallowed and packed up his kit, going off to do what he needed to do next. 

The dining room was packed as usual that night. Typically Josh wouldn't bother and would go listen to music in his room, but he didn't want to let Dr. Joseph down. He needed a friend after all, otherwise it was going to be a long five years. He looked around, holding his tray and feeling rather small in a room full of people much smarter than he was. 

"Hey! Not a doctor Dun," said a voice and he turned. He recognized the man, often saw him watching when he was on a spacewalk to do outer repairs on Hometown. 

"Dr. Joseph," Josh said, smiling at him, "Uh.. Where do you wanna sit?" 

"C'mon, I know a place," Dr. Joseph turned, "And please, call me Tyler." 

Josh was surprised when Tyler led him out of the dining area and down the hall. He was going to ask how far they were going when they suddenly were in a room that seemed to be a bubble, staring out at the thousands of stars. Josh hadn't even know that the room existed. 

"Did you know that everything with mass has gravity?" Tyler asked suddenly, "You have gravity and I have gravity..." 

Josh tilted his head, munching slowly. "Is that so?" he asked, his voice soft. 

"Yeah. It's pretty incredible," Tyler smiled, "So that means, even from a million miles away, when I'm back on Earth, I'll still be attracted to you. No matter how small the pull, it will still be there." 


	12. Lecture

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh and Tyler passing notes during class.

Tyler sat in the classroom, absolutely not listening to his teacher ramble about World War II. It wasn't that he didn't care, he just really didn't care. He didn't give a shit about the battle locations and dates. Those didn't actually matter. What mattered was the social implications and how they affected the people in the locations where they took place. That's why Tyler was in this class. That's what he wanted to learn. He didn't care about guns or the type of metal Nazi's used in their buttons, but that's all the teacher seemed to talk about. 

Suddenly something was flicked onto his desk, a note of sorts. He looked down the row of chairs and saw one of his classmates, whom he'd never really spoken to, nodding at him to open it. He did, and nearly spit out his drink. It was a drawing that Tyler couldn't quite figure out with a caption that read 'Professor Kneller looks like a chicken nugget'. 

Tyler looked at the other guy, who was stifling his laughter, then he looked at Kneller. He couldn't un-see it. The older man was overweight, misshapen, and greasy enough that Tyler, who was typically a front seat student, sat at the back to avoid his smell. He was definitely the type of guy to flirt with underage students and make sleazy comments to any girl who wouldn't sleep with him. Now, Tyler was struggling to stifle his own laughter at the Professors expense. 

He quickly scribbled out a response and passed it back to the stranger. 'WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?!" he wrote, 'I CAN'T UN-SEE THAT! IT'S NOW SEARED INTO MY BRAIN!" He watched as the chain of bored students brought the note back to the kid with the yellow hair. It took him a minute to figure out what it said before he was muffling his laugh in the crook of his elbow while trying to play it off as a cough. Luckily Kneller had his head too far up his own ass to hear what was going on.

Tyler turned to his notes, which had turned into a battle between a robot and a dinosaur. He sighed. Then another note landed on his desk. He looked over and yellow hair was giving him a thumbs up. He opened it. 'Wow! Cute and funny. Here's my number:' this was followed by a string of numbers which Tyler quickly punched into his phone. 

'Your in my contacts as Chicken Nugget' he texted, before tucking his phone back into his pocket as he tuned back into the impressively boring lecture. He really didn't want to be yelled at, or have Kneller lording his Professor status over him. He had better things to think about, but he was too deep into the semester to drop the class. 

His phone buzzed and he checked it immediately, smiling when he saw who it was from. 'no,' Chicken Nugget said, 'my name is josh. kneller is the chicken nugget. and youre in my phone as cute and funny.' Tyler shook his head at the lack of capitalization, but decided to humor this Josh fellow since there was still a half hour left in the class. 

'Well I'm Tyler,' he said, 'And I am neither cute, nor am I funny.' He sent the text and continued on his doodling, knowing there was no way that he was going to be able to focus with Josh texting him. 

'yes you are,' Josh texted, 'sooo cute and funny tyler. you wanna grab coffee after class?'

Tyler smiled, glancing at the other, who smiled right back. 'yeah,' he sent, 'that sounds nice.'


	13. Relevance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pre-band Tyler wonders about the freedom of irrelevance

The notebook in front of him was filled with words and notes. Little things all coming together to make a song. In his hands was a ukulele, which he strummed pensively, trying to think of ways to be better. He didn't even know what he would call it. His band, his album. He wanted so much out of the world, but what if it didn't happen. 

On his desk was a book. He'd been reading it when he'd been struck by sudden inspiration, though now he couldn't remember that inspiration for the life of him. It had disappeared, dissolved into the wind. Tyler Joseph knew he would never be good enough. He doubted his music would ever take off, believed he would only play locally. But he still loved to write, so he wrote. 

But this one wasn't good enough. It wouldn't be good enough it couldn't be. He'd never be a household name. He sighed, looking at the words on the page and chewing his lip. He gently set the ukulele aside, not wanting to hurt it, then he tore the page out of the book, shredding it to pieces and letting them settle on the floor around him. Not good enough. It would never be good enough. 

He'd never have real fans, just locals who thought he was okay at best. Okay. Not good. Just a kid singing his heart out with a ukulele and no sound to his name. Songs that meant the world to him but were simply noise to passerby's. Not good. Never good. 

He let his forehead hit the desk, remembering the first time he had written, remembering singing those songs into his laptops microphone. That would never be heard. His voice was nothing to the world and there was nothing he could do about it. He took a deep breath and picked up his ukulele again, strumming it as he thought. 

Perhaps though, if there truly was nothing he could do, then why should he bother with the fighting? Why not embrace his irrelevance and write what he wanted to write. He smiled now, plucking out a tune on the strings. There was something so freeing about being nobody he realized, it meant he only had to be good enough for himself. A few more strings. 

He looked at the book, remembering that his thought was written on one of the pages he had tossed. His name. The name for his band. It was somewhere in the mess. He was on his knees in an instant, searching through the disaster, un-crumpling papers and reading through his messy handwriting, desperate to find what he needed. It was somewhere. 

Twenty One Pilots. He didn't know when he'd written it down. But it resonated with him. Ever since Chris had mentioned a band, he'd been searching for a name. They all had, and this one felt right. Tyler swallowed his nerves and stood. No Phun Intended had been so long ago. It was time for Twenty One Pilots to be a thing. He smiled and looked at his ukulele. 

He plucked the strings, still smiling to himself. It was good. Everything was fantastic. It didn't matter if he wasn't good enough for others, he was writing for himself and Nick and Chris. And they were gonna be something fantastic whether the world liked them or not. They might not be relevant, but someday there would be sold out arenas screaming their names. Someday they'd be what the world loved. 

He picked up his pencil, scribbling words onto paper, strumming his thoughts to jam with his friends later. He couldn't do it all on his own, together they'd make the world listen. They'd make sound worth hearing. 


	14. Native

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler surviving after nuclear war, waiting for the only friend he might have left.
> 
> Semi-inspired by the new songs

There was a feeling in the wasteland. It said that you had to travel to find something better. Tyler knew better. There was nothing better. Everywhere was a new disaster, a new war to win, a new reason to quit. Here, in one place he was safe. He knew the ground, he knew the faces. He knew the people to avoid and he knew which ones to help. Home was safety, travel brought death. 

He lived in the hollowed shell of his former home, the one he had once shared with the people who meant most to him. The photos were now blackened, their faces blurred memories, their names hidden in the back of his mind. All gone now. He didn't know why he kept trying. There was nothing but a possibility for him to try for. 

Mornings blurred together with nothing to do. He got food. He ate. He slept. He killed when necessary. He lost on occasion, yet he always managed to survive. He always washed the red away and continued on to the next day. Staying where he was in the hope that his old friends might find him there. 

It took time. Everything took so much time now. Through a harsh winter where the cold chilled through his bones. Through the nuclear summer where he thought he'd never see water again. Through the radiation that burned him and mutilated the world around him, he waited. His friend had to find him. The only person that he might have left in the world. 

Some days, when the sky burned red and he knew better than to go into the wasteland that was once a city, he would hide in the basement, talking to a friend that wasn't there. He'd play his ukulele for an audience long gone and relive days of the past. He'd hit the keys on his worn out piano, singing words long forgotten. Words that would never be heard again. 

The drums stood untouched, right where his friend had left them. He wouldn't move them. He refused to. He refused to let them go. Letting them go meant forgetting the last person. He'd been in California when the bombs want off. But he could make it to Columbus. If anyone could, it would be him. 

The winter was coming, Tyler could feel the ache of it already. He remembered the last one. He remembered being so cold that it burned. Touching metal and having his fingertips peel away with it. He remembered, and he wasn't ready to face it again, but he had to. He had to be prepared. His face covered, he made his way out. 

The streets were silent aside from the wind and dust. They was rarely another face. They were always quiet. No one came out unless they had to. Nobody was stupid anymore. Nobody but the travelers. 

Grocery stores had nothing. They'd been emptied a long time ago. There was no point in trying them. He had to travel to find anything. Luckily, the longer people were gone, the closer nature got. All he had was a knife. All he had was the clothes on his back. He'd never been good at hunting, but he had to get better if he was going to survive again. He couldn't let his friend find him dead. 

The tree line was new growth, creeping closer the the houses. Moss and grass peeking through the sidewalks. There was movement nearby, and Tyler got down. Friend, foe, or food? That was the question. 

He peered around the tree. It was a person. Not food. He swallowed, they were moving closer. He closed his eyes, preparing for the fight. 

"Tyler?" said the figure, "I'm looking for Tyler Joseph..." 

Tyler spun, realizing who it was, "Josh!?"


	15. Fame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh wants to go out for breakfast and Tyler wants to stay in

There was something about the whole fame thing. It was not being able to just skateboard down the street as some punk kid, or perhaps it was the people approaching him at random for a picture. Maybe the people who would flirt too obviously and tell them they knew he was. He had to admit, it was nice at first, but there was something about it that just got exhausting. Sometimes he wondered if it would be better to go back to Guitar Center, even if that was impossible. Sometimes the anxiety clawed at his chest just because he went for a walk, and he wished he could fall off the earth. 

Then were the other days. Days when fans were a welcome sight and he would eagerly jump into a picture with them. Days when recognition for everything he and Tyler did was all that he could ask for. It was confusing and difficult, but every day was so incredibly worth it. 

He took a deep breath as he stared off the hotel balcony, wondering who he'd run into that day. They didn't have a lot of time to spare before shows, so they usually took the opportunity to do some exploring or sleeping in. Something in Josh buzzed, telling him that it was going to be an exploring day. He hoped Tyler felt the same. He wanted to see the city they were in, or at least go for a walk. Get out and stretch his legs. 

It would be difficult with fans trailing behind them, constantly letting people know where they were and what they were doing, but he somehow didn't actually care. He wanted to meet them, wanted to show them how much he loved them all. He wanted to be able to appreciate them. It felt like a good day in the making. 

He stretched and turned, debating whether to just launch himself onto Tyler's bed or to wake the other up gently. They'd gotten in rather late, so the second option would probably be smarter, but Josh was not feeling smart. So he jumped, landing on Tyler with a loud "oof" and Tyler just groaned in response. 

"Let's get breakfast!" Josh said, "I can see a Denny's down the street." He suddenly craved hashbrowns and eggs and other such breakfast foods. 

"Let's order room service," Tyler rolled away from his friend, clearly in an opposite mood. 

"If you don't come with then I'm just gonna go by myself and I'm not gonna bring back leftovers," Josh said, "I'm gonna buy breakfast for the first person who asks for a photo." He grinned, "And you're not invited." 

Tyler rolled over looking up at him. "I'm just gonna order room service," he said, "And sleep. Now get off yah lump." He jokingly shoved Josh off the bed, which Josh made into an incredibly overdramatic fall. Tyler rolled his eyes and buried his face back into the pillow, intent on getting that last bit of sleep. 

"You're the wooorrrssst," Josh groaned, flopping back on the floor, actually needing to get dressed if he was going to go out like he said he was. He sighed, debating actually getting up. 

"And you're gonna be out of the band if you don't let me sleep," Tyler replied, grumbling a few more incoherent words into his pillow. 

"Actually, you're out of the band," Josh grumbled back, climbing to his feet and grabbing a t-shirt and some shorts, "Because you won't go to Denny's with me." He couldn't see it, but he knew Tyler was rolling his eyes. He couldn't help but smile about it. "Do you want me to bring you hashbrowns?" he asked. 

"And bacon please," Tyler said, snuggling deeper into his pillow, "And make sure you treat the fan nicely." 

"Always," Josh said, grabbing his wallet, "Seeya later." 


	16. Fairy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler and Josh meet Fae

Josh looked at the baby. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. She was so beautiful, so adorable, so perfect as she slept in the incubator in a room full of other infants, but he only had eyes for her. Less that a day old, she was waiting her turn for her checkups and all. 

He could see the Tyler in her. It was in her nose, even if it was squished. She still had Tyler's nose. But she looked so much like Jenna too. And Tyler's sister. She also looked like Madison in so many ways, he couldn't even count them. 

"Fae," Tyler said, "That's my little Fae." He was smiling. It made Josh smile too, "And you're her god father." 

Josh laughed, setting a hand on Tyler's shoulder. "That is... The worst idea you've ever had," he said, "But I love it." He sighed, his eyes on little Fae. He hadn't even held her yet. Only Jenna had. And even that had only been for a moment. Now Jenna was sleeping, so Tyler and Josh were here admiring the newborn. 

"Were you really gonna name her after me if she had been a he?" Josh asked, tilting his head to the side, "I mean.. I remember Jenna saying something about it... and-" 

"Yup," Tyler said, nodding, "He would've been Joshua Joseph." He smiled and looked at Josh, "It was supposed to be a surprise, but then- well- she turned out to be Fae Joseph. Fae Kelly Joseph." He swallowed. 

Josh smiled, wrapping an arm around him and squeezing his shoulders, "You're a dad Ty," he said, "You've got a daughter and she is fucking gorgeous." He laughed softly and looked at Ty, watching as the tears of happiness streamed down his friends cheeks, "You're daughter is beautiful." He said, "And I can't wait to spoil her. And I'll teach her how to drum and you can teach her piano and ukulele and I'm gonna be the cool uncle Josh who's clearly the best and-" he laughed, "It's gonna be great Ty. Absolutely wonderful." 

Tyler nodded. "We were so sure she was gonna be a boy," he said, and laughed to himself, "I was so freaking sure... And I just love her so so much. I'm not gonna let the world ruin her Josh... It's not allowed to. I don't want the world to hurt my girl." 

Josh nodded, watching as a nurse stepped over to Fae's incubator, checking her temperature and gently lifting her out to check her length and weight and make sure she was healthy. His heart squeezed in his chest as the little girl yawned, her eyes and nose scrunching up in the cutest way. "She looks like you..." he said, "She's got your nose. And... I dunno... She just looks like you." 

"How dare you insult my newborn," Tyler said, smiling jokingly, "Besides, I think she looks like Jenna. Yeah. She looks like Jenna..." He trailed off as the nurse came back, smiling over at them. She set baby Fae back into the incubator, pausing to adjust her little pink cap. She probably knew it was Tyler's baby.

Josh could feel the love radiating off of his best friend. He could feel all of it. Every bit of it as his friend watched the newborn. Everything she did made his heart leap over the moon, every breath she took was a miracle, and every motion was fantasy. "I'm gonna spoil her," he said, "I really am." 

"I know," Tyler said, "I feel like the fans will too." He laughed, "She's gonna be known before she even knows herself." He smiled, "They're gonna love her so much. I'm gonna right so many songs for her. And if she wants to sing for an album then I'm gonna let her. They're gonna love her. Not as much as I will, but they're gonna love her." 


	17. Country

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's only one type of music on the radio

This was it. This was the worst moment of Josh's life. Driving through Tennessee, and there was no good music on the radio. All there was could be summed up in one word: country. There was really nothing worse. It didn't help that Tyler was intent on annoying him throughout the entirety of the drive, so that meant jumping between songs until he found one he knew the lyrics to,  then singing it while dancing at his friend. 

He jumped to a new one and Josh didn't have to even look at him to know exactly which face he was making. It was eyebrows raised and mouth in an excited oh shape. He cleared his throat and Josh mentally prepared for the torture of the next five minutes. 

"Right now, he's probably slow dancing  
With a bleached-blond tramp  
And she's probably getting frisky..." 

Tyler sang, grinning like an idiot as Carrie Underwood told her sad tale. He moved his hands, letting her pain flow through his body in the most dramatic and overacted way possible. 

"Right now, he's probably buying  
Her some fruity little drink  
'Cause she can't shoot whiskey..." 

He was purposely off key and Josh knew it. Tyler definitely sang on key to the radio to show off. But he always sang off key if it meant he was trying to be obnoxious, and he was definitely trying to be incredibly obnoxious right now. 

"Right now, he's probably up behind her with a pool-stick  
Showing her how to shoot a combo  
And he don't know..." 

Tyler took a deep breath as he prepared to raise the volume. Josh took a deep breath, deciding to have some fun and blow Tyler's mind. 

"I dug my key into the side  
Of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive  
Carved my name into his leather seats!" 

They sang together at the tops of their lungs, passing the time off key. He didn't even see Tyler pulling out his phone and beginning to film.

"I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights  
I slashed a hole in all four tires  
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats!!!" 

Josh sang, not even realizing that Tyler had stopped singing completely and it was now just him on Instagram live, thousands of fans pouring out support for him and the radio station. 

"Right now, she's probably up singing some  
White-trash version of Shania karaoke  
Right now, she's probably saying "I'm drunk"  
And he's a-thinking that he's gonna get lucky..." 

Josh looked at Tyler and his eyes widened. "No, no, no!" he cried, "Delete that!"

"It's live dude!" Tyler replied, laughing out loud, "Now keep your eyes on the road!" He laughed again, picking up with the chorus to try to get Josh to sing too. 

"That I dug my key into the side  
Of his pretty little souped-up four-wheel drive  
Carved my name into his leather seats!" 

Josh swallowed, looking between the camera and the road before deciding 'fuck it' and beginning to sing along as well. 

"I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights  
I slashed a hole in all four tires  
Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats..." 

He sang the last part comically low, hoping it would make somebody somewhere laugh, knowing it would at least make them smile. He wanted the fans to love it. In fact, he knew they would. A little glimpse into what could happen when the boys got bored enough on the road. He let Tyler fade out as he continued. 

"I might have saved a little trouble for the next girl  
'Cause the next time that he cheats  
Oh, you know it won't be on me!  
No, not on me..." 

He faded out glancing at the camera, wondering how YouTube was going to handle this, what the fans would do with the footage of him singing along to the Carrie Underwood song. He smiled, taking a deep breath and belting out the last verse, giving it his absolute all, because he knew how much they'd love it. Especially Tyler who couldn't stop laughing. 


	18. Celebration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh gets married

Josh couldn't believe it. It had been so many years since Tyler's wedding, since he'd gotten to see his best friend waiting for his wife at the alter with that grin on his face and tears in his eyes. He remembered Tyler mentioning his nerves, but he had no clue they'd be so bad. Even with Tyler by his side as his best man, he couldn't believe how nervous he was to have his fiancée become his wife. 

His stomach twisted in the best possible way as the music changed, and his heart stopped completely. He vaguely registered that everyone was now standing, waiting for his future wife to appear. He hadn't seen her dress yet, she hadn't let him. So when she stepped out, he couldn't help the gasp that fell from his lips. 

Her hair was curled, pinned, and full of flowers to match her bouquet. Forget-me-nots and blue roses tied into the intricate braids. Her dress was simple, a sweetheart neckline, a layered skirt, a touch of lace, and a bit of sparkle. He didn't pay it too much attention though. His eyes were on her face. Her smile. It was perfectly beautiful, beyond anything he'd ever seen. It brought him back to the day they'd met when she hit him on her skateboard and they'd just connected. 

They'd spent the entire day together, just talking about nothing. It had been one of the best days of his life. 

She stepped over to him and he couldn't help but to lean in and kiss her cheek, celebrating the feeling of having her close. His heart swelled and he glanced at Tyler, who gave him a thumbs up and a grin in response. 

Josh didn't hear anything the priest was saying. He had no clue what was happening in the ceremony. He knew they were getting married and that was about it. She was going to be his wife. He was going to be her husband. They were going to be married with two dogs and that fat old cat and it was going to be fantastic.

He turned to her as she pulled out the slip of paper with her vows on it, and swallowed, knowing he wasn't going to be able to not cry about this. 

"Josh," she began, "The day we met, I fell hard. I still have a scar on my knee because of it." He laughed softly at the memories, "And from there, I can't believe how far we've come. I can't believe that you're actually about to become my husband. Through the highs and the lows, from you and your drums at three AM, to me bringing home that stupid cat that neither of us will admit we actually like, you've stuck by me and made me feel things that I didn't know I could feel. You are fantastic in so many ways, and I can't wait to be your wife. I love you Joshua Dun, and I vow to keep loving you through good and bad, sickness and health, and all that other stuff." 

Yup, Josh was definitely crying. The tears were real. His hands shook as he pulled out his notes. "Lilia," he said, "You..." he choked, "Sorry uh... You have changed my life in so many ways. From the first time I saw you, I knew you were gonna bring all my conceptions of love crashing down. That first day by your side was the best day of my life because it held so much possibility, and now those possibilities are even more endless. To hold you for the rest of my life... There's nothing that could possibly be better." He swallowed nervously, "So I promise to tolerate you bringing home sad looking pets to take care of, to play music at appropriate times, and to love you everyday, even when we're angry. I love you." 

The last thing he heard was, "You may kiss the bride," and her lips were on his, and his heart was in heaven.


	19. Correspondence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh sends Tyler pics of Jim

**Text From: Josh Dun  
** **hows iceland? is it icy?**

**Text From: Tyler Joseph  
vv icy boi  
**

**Text From: Tyler Joseph  
glacier water is cold**

**Text from: Josh Dun  
i never would've guessed**

Josh stared at the texts with a soft frown. He missed Tyler, he would be flying over in a few days, but it had been weeks and they couldn't really text or call due to the time zone differences. He took a deep breath. He wasn't going to be in the video as much, so he didn't have to be there for all the filming. But he wish he did. 

Jenna kept sending him pictures of the horse and all. It looked absolutely lovely. Josh wasn't about to deny that he was at least a little bit jealous. They were on the other side of the world while he was sitting on his couch catching up on shows like Handmaids Tale and Adventure Time. 

He looked up, not really sure what to do with himself. He wanted to call Tyler, but he knew he would be either be asleep or busy with everything he was doing over there. All the filming and recording and everything he was doing halfway across the world. 

**Text From: Josh Dun  
jim misses you**

Attached to the text was a photo of Josh's dog, sleeping across his legs.The picture wasn't much, it just showed floppy ears and soft brown fur. No sign that Jim even realized Tyler wasn't around. Josh was surprised by how quickly Tyler replied to him. 

**Text From: Tyler Joseph  
** ****i miss jim** **

**Text From: Josh Dun**  
**maybe i should bring him to visit you in iceland**

**Text From: Tyler Joseph  
** ****maybe. or i can come hang out when we get home** **

**Text From: Josh Dun  
that would  **definitely** work**

**Text From: Josh Dun  
ur gonna have to give him a lot of treats tho**

**Text From: Tyler Joseph  
** ****all the treats for the good boy** **

**Text From: Josh Dun  
the best boy**

Josh couldn't believe how much he was grinning at his phone. It was the most interaction he'd had with his best friend in a couple of weeks. It wasn't a bunch of angst and feelings, but it was something and he had missed it so much. He missed Tyler and Jenna so much. He whistled at Jim, making him look up. 

"Smile boy!" he said, snapping a picture with Jim's head tilted to the side curiously and he ears perked up, "Good boy!" he said, scratching the dog behind his ears and making him wag his tail happily. He sent the photo to Tyler. 

**Text From: Josh Dun  
he's vv excited to see u**

**Text From: Tyler Joseph  
** ****i'm excited to see him!!** **

**Text From: Josh Dun  
he's gonna need lot's of snuggles **

**Text From: Tyler Joseph  
** ****our son will have all the snuggles** **

This made Josh laugh, prompting the dog to jump up to lick his face, now fully awake and wanting to play and love. This just made Josh laugh even harder as he scratched Jim behind his ears and snuggled him. "Down boy!" he said with a laugh, "Down!" Jim's tail wagged so hard that his whole body wiggled. Josh managed to get a blurry selfie, sending it to Tyler without a caption. 

**Text From: Tyler Joseph  
** ****so i'm guessing your insta is gonna be all jim pics?** **

**Text From: Josh Dun  
what else am i supposed to post? **

**Text From: Tyler Joseph  
** ****the fans are gonna lose their minds** **

**Text From: Josh Dun  
good. my boy deserves to be famous**

Josh knew that they were on hiatus and he wasn't about to break it to post a picture of his dog. He knew the fans were gonna love the little canine. He was a cutie and a sweetie and Josh wouldn't be surprised if more people wanted pics with Jim than they did with him. It would only make sense. 

**Text From: Tyler Joseph  
** ****i gotta go man. it's time for me to sleep** **

**Text From: Josh Dun  
alright. night man. i'll see u next week**

**Text From: Tyler Joseph  
give jim a scratch behind the ear for me**

**Text from: Josh Dun  
will do**


	20. Gradual

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh decides that he really does love her
> 
> (I know I said none of these would be connected, but I just love the idea of Josh falling in love with someone.)

The change was slow at first. It definitely wasn't all at once. Josh honestly would not have even noticed if it hadn't been pointed out to him. Then it all hit him at once. 

"You're falling for her," Tyler said. 

"Am not," Josh said, but even as he said it, he knew that he was lying. Even as he said it, she was still on his mind. Those soft yet wild curls and her dark caramel cheeks, her eyes carved from jade. Just the thought of her made him feel like melting into his chair. 

"You're thinking about her," Tyler said. 

"Am not," Josh said. Another lie. She was the only thing on his mind. Ever since they'd met, she was the only thing he could think about. 

"You're lying to me," Tyler said, "Face it, you like her." 

"Well of course I like her," Josh said, "She's well... She's a friend. We met... We like each other as friends." 

"Six months of texting twenty-four-seven seems like a bit more than friends," Tyler said. 

"But what if... Like... I'm Josh Dun of Twenty One Pilots..." Josh said, "What if that's all I am to her..." He hadn't put a voice to the fears, but they'd always been there. What if the accident that had brought him and her together, what if it hadn't been an accident at all. 

He thought of Lilia, and he felt something he'd never felt before. He thought of all their late night Redbull runs and the way she looked at him. She'd admitted to knowing who he was straight off the bat, though she didn't know that he would be there. He thought of the scraped up knees and bruises they'd gained, the scar that he still had from that very first encounter. 

"Dude... She likes you," Tyler said, "You should hear the way she talks to Jenna. Like... It's nothing about your fame. It's all about how sweet you are and... Honestly... I don't think she cares about the fame thing. If she did, that would be the entirety of her Instagram, but she mostly posts pictures of flowers in her hair." 

Josh nodded, "She does look pretty fantastic with flowers in her hair..." He thought of the day when they'd found that park with the gardens. There had been so many daisies and she had looked so fantastic with them tucked between her curls. She hadn't credited the photo to him. She didn't want the attention. 

"You're in love with her," Tyler said, "You've got the goofy love smile." 

Josh just shot him a look. He didn't want to face these feelings. That's why he'd been forcing them away for so long. Lilia was so fantastic and beautiful. She had an amazing sense of music, and her fashion sense was perfection. And there was nothing quite like when they hung out and just snuggled up together on the couch to watch movies or play video games. When they went swimming and she borrowed one of his shirts afterwards and fell asleep in a deck chair. 

He swallowed. "Fuck..." he said, "What the hell do I even do? Like... I like how we are now... What... It's all gonna change and like... What if I see her naked? What do I do if I see her naked?" 

"Josh... You're not a virgin," Tyler pointed out, "You've seen plenty of people naked." 

"But they're not Lilia," Josh said, "Like... She's..." he sighed, "How do I even... Bring it up? Like... casually. Like... What if she doesn't like me like this. Should I text her or..." 

"Don't text," Tyler said, "Just.. Next time you hang out, tell her. Trust me, it'll be worth it. I mean.. It can only change for the better, right?" 

Josh nodded. "I guess..." He took a deep breath, "Alright... I guess I'm gonna tell her. I'm gonna tell her how I feel and just... Maybe, hopefully she'll feel the same."

"You're gonna tell her!" Tyler said, encouraging his friend. 

"I'm gonna say to her, 'Lilia, I love you,'" Josh said.

"You what now?" asked Lilia, who had just entered the room. 

 


	21. Support

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A shooting at a concert

It wasn't supposed to happen to them. It was never supposed to be them. They honestly hadn't known what was happening at first. One moment they were on top of the world, the crowd was screaming and the concert was at its peak. Then there was that sound. And the screams changed. Tyler wasn't sure what had been happening, all he knew was security was pulling him and Josh off stage and hiding them in their dressing rooms. He couldn't get the screams out of his head. Even now as he sat in the hospital waiting room, he could hear them echoing and bouncing around inside his skull. They were mocking him. 

"Tyler?" said a voice, "Josh?" he looked up at the doctor who was addressing them, "If you could follow me." She had soft brown eyes. "The... Well... Those injured in last nights attack are right through here." 

He stood even though his legs didn't want to support him. Fifteen dead. There were fifteen dead from last nights concert. Forty eight injured. A hundred still missing. The next five shows were cancelled, though FBR and the ticketing agencies were working hard to make sure every fan was alright. They were doing everything in their power and Tyler just wanted to cry. 

The first fan was a twelve year old girl. She was still wearing a shirt that she had clearly made herself. Her arm was in a sling and her eyes were exhausted, but they lit up when she saw the boys. They had time, so they sat with her, signed her merch, Tyler played her a soft song just to make her smile. Josh gave her a gentle hug and she couldn't stop smiling. 

"I was in the back," she said, "Dancing with my brother. I don't know where he is. I got hit and the crowd pushed him away. Please let him know I'm okay." She was practically begging, "We don't know where he is... I just want to know where he is." 

There were bruises on her legs and torso from where a panicked crowd had pushed her around. She was just a kid. Tyler nodded. 

He had to sit in the hall for a minute, his head in his hands as he cried. He needed to take several deep breaths before he could move on. It hurt to see his fans like this. It hurt knowing that he couldn't protect them. 

The next one was a father. He was in his fifties with his daughters and wife curled up in the chairs next to his bed. "Lindzy's still missing," one of them said, she was small, but clearly older, "She has epilepsy... She needs her medication... She could get hurt without it." The father had been hit in the head. He wasn't waking up, "Maegan and Ben are looking for her... But... She needs help... We can't find her..." 

Tyler promised to help them. He gave names to those who needed them. He needed these kids to have their families back. He couldn't believe this was happening. People were dead and it felt like his fault. He wished he'd gotten hit. It would mean one less bullet in the back of a fan. 

A boy in a coma and a mom hoping a song could bring him out of it. It didn't work, and Tyler promised to try again the next day. 

A two year old with their leg in a cast. Tyler and Josh tried to sit for a photo with her, but she was afraid of them. Tyler didn't blame her, he would be afraid too. 

At the end of the day, they hadn't even seen half the victims and most were still missing. So Tyler picked up his pencil and got to work, writing for them. 

"Dear Sweet Seattle, I'm sorry for what I've done..." he wrote, "For the harm I've brought upon your walls and all the pain I've caused. They keep telling me not to blame myself, but the hurt swallows me whole. Dear Sweet Seattle, I love you more than you might know..." He swallowed, plucking out a tune. It wasn't enough, but it was what he could do.


	22. Control

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler fights Blurry in his own mind

There's something that Tyler doesn't know. He doesn't know where he goes at night or what happens in his mind. Sometimes it feels like it's just a voice in the back of his head, whispering the darkest things. Other times it takes over, erasing the memories of the things he does. 

He doesn't remember the people he talks to. Though he has a feeling that Spooky is involved. A villain with wild hair and a skull painted over his face. He was notorious for getting into trouble, and lately a sidekick had joined him. 

Tyler knew it was himself, but he wouldn't say it out loud. He couldn't remember the things he did when the demon took over, he didn't remember where they'd found each other. But during the day he was Tyler Joseph. During the night he was something else entirely. 

He could feel his hold on reality slipping as the days passed. Sometimes things would seem fake, and the bags under his eyes would be darker than ever before. The world would feel like a sitcom where he was a background character, occasionally mentioned but worth nothing to the plot. 

Other days he would feel like he'd been shoved into center stage, with no script or any idea who any of the characters were supposed to be. The world would be upside down and inside out and he wouldn't know how to handle it. He just gave in those days and let his other face take over. The one with bright red eyes and a taste for chaos. He let Spooky take his hand and be his guide into the dark side of the world. 

Spooky was an interesting man. He had few words, and what seemed to be even fewer gestures. When he did make them, they were grand. It was far between those days, and Tyler didn't know who he was anymore. He didn't know where Blurry ended and he began, he couldn't fill the blank spaces in his mind. It was all getting to be too much. 

"Do you control Spooky," he asked one night, as they sat, waiting for sirens to pass them by "Or does Spooky control you?" 

The other man looked up, his mouth a hardened line, his makeup smoothed like the rain had never touched it. "No," he said. It wasn't answer. Blurry knew. But Tyler didn't. It was a small moment of lucidity. One of the moments when Tyler could fight. 

"Who's in control?" he asked, pushing Spooky for more than a syllable. 

"Me." 

Tyler swallowed, not sure what the red haired demon was leading him into. Not sure whether he was more man or monster anymore. He didn't know. Part of him didn't want to. 

"Are you Spooky?" 

"No." the other said as he nodded. It was as if he was being silenced from the inside. He couldn't let any more out, otherwise his mind would hear him. Otherwise the part that played puppeteer would have his voice as well. A man of few words to hide that he spoke at all. 

"Is... Is Blurry gonna take over?" 

Spooky nodded. The black around his eyes seemed somehow darker than before. They were usually brown, but now they shined black. There would be no more conversation with his companion tonight. Tonight they would be silent. Demons against starlight, bringing pain and havoc upon any unfortunate soul who crossed their path. 

Tyler hated this part. So he let his mind fade to black. He let it all go away. He let the world fall from around him so that he didn't have to look them in the eyes. He would see it on the news and that was bad enough. He would see himself, eyes red and face covered in a black mask. He would see Spooky, who'd been identified as Josh Dun. 

He'd see the hurt they created, the lives they'd taken, and all the problems they caused just by existing. He'd face it all tomorrow and try to process it all. He'd debate turning himself and Josh in. He'd tell himself he was going to do it. He would try so hard to pick up the phone. But at night Blurry would return, and Tyler would simply lose himself. 


	23. Dribble

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh and Tyler play some basketball

Tyler ran the ball down the court, smiling as he did so. The game was almost over, and if he made this shot then they would win. Aim and fire. He won. They'd won. The team cheered as the buzzer sounded, signaling the end of the game. They were the champions. Of course they still had more games to play, but as the season progressed, they would get better and win more and it would be fantastic. 

||-//

"So you're good at basketball?" a voice asked as Tyler played on the court at the park near his house. Well... He really wasn't playing, more just dribbling the ball up and down the court and shooting for the basket every few minutes. 

Tyler looked up at its owner. It was a kid he didn't recognize. He was on the shorter side with fluffy blue hair and a black hoodie on. He had headphones looped around his neck, and Tyler could hear the rock music blasting through them from several feet away. "Yeah.." he said, "I guess..." 

The kid shifted from foot to foot. "I uh... I saw you at the game..." he said, "You tossed the winning shot..." He looked at Tyler, "Uh... I'm Josh..." 

Tyler nodded and shot for the hoop at the end of the court, not checking to see if he made it or not. He headed over to where Josh stood. "Tyler," he said, reaching out to shake Josh's hand, "You wanna play or somethin'?"

"I uh... I don't know..." Josh said, "I'm not very good. I'm more of a like... soccer guy I guess." He smiled lopsidedly, "Haven't played basketball since the sixth grade." He shrugged. 

"Well," Tyler said, grinning right back, "You know how to play and that's something." He turned, seeing that the ball had rolled off into the field, "C'mon. It'll be fun." 

Josh nodded. "Well... Mom did say I had to make friends." He laughed softly, "Sure. I'll play." He looked so bashful. Not nervous exactly, but the nerves were still there. As if he were worried about messing something up. 

"Sweet!" Tyler grinned, "I'll go get the ball then." 

Josh nodded, shrugging off his jacket and setting it aside to reveal that he was wearing a tank top underneath. The shirt itself was nothing special, but Josh's arms made Tyler's mouth go dry. They were fantastic.

He just smiled though, and passed the ball to Josh. "Points or nah?" he asked, not sure how competitive the other boy would be. 

"Nah," Josh said, "Let's just one on one. Nothing too wild." He bounced the ball a couple of times, not really sure how to handle it, but still trying to make new friends. Tyler swallowed, his eyes on the others arms still. 

"So uh..." Tyler said, putting out his hands for Josh to pass him the ball, "Do you like... work out?" He mentally face palmed. That was definitely the stupidest thing he could've said to the ridiculously attractive guy who was attempting to befriend him. 

Josh laughed, "A little, mostly via playing the drums." He grinned, dribbling the ball around Tyler and taking a shot, which missed horribly, rather than passing the other boy the ball, "What about you?" 

"Uh... Only for basketball," Tyler admitted, his stomach twisting as he ran and got the ball, ducking around Josh to take a shot, "You play drums?" 

"Not very well," Josh admitted with a soft laugh, "But yeah, I play." He passed the ball to Tyler, "I really wanna be in a band someday so I can play them all the time and never have to worry about like... ending up in a stupid office job or something. It'll probably never happen, but it's worth the dream." 

"Yeah," Tyler nodded as he caught the ball, "I mean.. it's always worth a try if it's what you wanna do..." He smiled, and spun the ball on his fingertip, trying to show off a little. 

"And I'm guessing you wanna be a big basketball star?" Josh asked, "I mean... Like... National team star..." 

Tyler shook his head. "No... I don't think so... I don't know what I want to be though." He shrugged, "But if you ever wanna jam, I can play the ukulele and some piano." 

Josh smiled, "I think I'd like that." 


	24. Hesitate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler and Josh share a moment

It was only a moment. Highlighted by the slightest of pauses and withdrawals. Yet so many years later it was still stuck in Tyler's mind. That night so many years ago as they drove from one location to the next. He hadn't known Josh was awake as he'd admired the other man. 

They had been on their first tour, traveling about and playing for audiences that grew larger and larger with each show. They were supposed to be sleeping but instead they caught themselves staring, neither daring to say a single word to break the heavy silence that lay between them. Both their minds were flooded with questions about what the tour might bring, but neither were brave enough to ask. 

Tyler wasn't sure who leaned in first, all he knew was that he was closer to Josh than he'd ever been before. Sure, they'd hugged and even kissed cheeks on a few occasions, but this was different. He could feel his best friends breath on his lips, feel the space between them. He could feel the hand that hovered over his hip, too nervous to touch him. He wondered if the other could hear his heart pounding in his chest, wondered if Josh knew how nervous he made him. 

No words were said as they held their position, neither daring to make a move. Something like this could either make them better or destroy them completely, and that fear was too real for either to face. So Tyler pulled back. He looked down, not wanting to turn away from the other. 

"I'm sorry," he'd murmured, "I can't..." 

"It's okay," Josh whispered back, "I understand..." He'd then pressed the kiss to Tyler's forehead instead, hoping that the other would feel the meaning behind it. Hoping that he would understand as well. 

Part of Tyler did understand. There was too much hanging on the line for both of them. Neither one would be able to face the feelings that lay beneath adrenaline and bright lights now, or possibly ever. It would be better that they didn't after all. Better for them and the band. The love would still be there, but just friends would be a healthier life to live. 

Sometimes the feelings bubbled up though. They felt like too much to handle. When Tyler looked at Josh and Josh just smiled that goofy excited smile, Tyler could feel his heart swell in his chest as he wondered what they could've been. 

Then, all of a sudden, he was married. He loved Jenna with every fibre of his being. He loved her so much that he could hardly stand it. And he loved being so openly in love with her. He loved being able to hold her hand and kiss her and hold her. It was better like this and he knew it. It was better that Josh was with Debby. Even when they broke up it was still better. 

Years passed. They got big. So big. Tyler felt like they could take over the world if they really wanted to. But he didn't want to. He just wanted to make people think. They went to their hotel after the show. Both were so sweaty and exhausted, but so excited. And people wouldn't stop talking to them. 

When they finally got to the room and shut the door, it was like heaven. Sweet silent heaven. It was a moment that both were familiar with, and it felt so good. Tyler walked to his bed, sitting with a groan of pleasure. He looked at Josh, who looked back, and there was the feeling all over again. 

Josh stepped over to him. "Remember all those years ago?" he asked, his voice soft and nervous, "In the van?" 

Tyler nodded, from his position, Josh towered over him. It was nerve wracking and his heart raced wildly. "Yeah..." he said, "I remember..." 

"Are you ready yet?" Josh asked. 

Tyler swallowed, not sure when he'd reached up to the other. "I don't think I'll ever be..." he admitted, "I'm married now..."

"Well.." Josh took a deep breath, his hand cupping Tyler's cheek as he lowered himself so that they were face to face, "Do... Do you maybe wanna try anyways?" 

Tyler nodded. "Yeah..." he said, "I think I do..." He could feel Josh's hand on his cheek as he leaned in. No waiting, just a feeling.

 


	25. Dead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler and Jenna end up in a car accident

Tyler wasn't sure what had happened if he was being completely honest. One moment they'd been driving, the next he'd been flying. Now he was laying facedown on the pavement while the world spun around him. He thought he was choking out Jenna's name. Or maybe it was Josh's. He really wasn't sure. It sounded more like a strange sort of gurgle, followed by coughing and blood hitting the pavement. 

He pushed himself up. There were flashing lights everywhere. They made him dizzy, made his head pound painfully. It hurt so much. He tried to prop himself up to look around but his entire chest was pain and his cheek felt like it was on fire. He tried to look at the car but the lights were blinding. 

It was on it's side. They were prying it open to get out whoever was trapped inside. "Je-" more blood hit the pavement as he coughed. He felt hands on his body and heard voices telling him to lay down and relax. He didn't want to listen. "Jen- Jenna..." he managed, "Wh- where? M-my wi-" more blood, "wife..." The world was beginning to fade around him. It was going dark so quickly. It was all going to black. 

"It's gonna be okay," one of the voices said, "We're getting your wife." 

Tyler didn't respond. He was too far gone as the world fell away. 

||-//

There was a steady beeping as he came to. It was infuriating. "Jenna..." he groaned, "Alarm..." he tried to roll over and was struck by the dull pain that bloomed across his chest. Suddenly it was all over. His entire body was a giant bruise dulled by medication. 

Something tugged at his arm and a familiar voice said, "Careful man, don't wanna pull out your IV." 

Tyler opened his eyes, almost immediately blinded by the whiteness in the room. Josh was there. He looked like he hadn't slept in days. His hair was a mess and there were bags under his eyes. "You look like shit," Tyler said, making him smile, "Water?" 

Josh nodded, standing and going to grab him a cup. "I finally convinced your parents to go get some coffee," he said, "They're gonna be pissed that they missed you waking up. You've been in a medically induced coma for like... four days." 

Tyler turned in the direction of Josh's voice. "What about Jenna?" he asked, "Where's she?" He could feel the heaviness in the silence that followed the question. It wasn't good news. The crash had put him into a coma, what had it done to his wife. 

"Ty..." Josh sighed, "I- I don't think I should be the one to say it..." He chewed his lip, clearly torn on what to do. 

"Tell me anyways," Tyler said, "Please..." 

Josh pressed a button, setting Tyler's hospital bed into a sitting position. "Look... She... Uh... The crash... It ripped that car to shreds... And she was inside Ty..." He sniffed, wiping his cheek. He was crying, "Ty... She's gone. They say she didn't suffer. It was a head injury on impact. She passed immediately..." 

Tyler laid back. "But..." he took a deep breath, trying to process what he'd just been told, "What? Where is she?" 

Josh shook his head, "I'm so sorry Ty... I'm so so sorry..." 

Tyler shook his head right back. It couldn't be possible. The whole situation couldn't be possible. He took a deep breath, lifting his arm to wipe the tears from his cheeks. He couldn't even begin to process. The pain in his chest wasn't just from the broken ribs anymore. Now it was his heart tearing itself into pieces. 

"My parents have Fae?" he asked, "She's okay?" 

Josh nodded, "Of course." He wiped his cheeks, trying to hide the tears that had been falling, "Fae is okay. Do you want them to bring her to visit?" 

Tyler nodded. "Please... I want to see..." he took a deep breath, "Josh... I'm so tired... I want to sleep..." 

"It's okay Ty," Josh said softly, "You can sleep. Your family will be here when you wake up." 

"Even Jenna?" Tyler asked, not quite ready to process what Josh had been trying to tell him. It just didn't make sense. Jenna had to still be there. She couldn't be gone. Fae still needed her. Tyler still needed her, he didn't know if he could live without her. 

Josh shook his head, "I'm sorry..." 


	26. Sickness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh is sick

It felt like he was underwater. They were saying words but those words were blurring over,  melting away. They weren't making any sense at all. Nothing was making any sense at all. 

It had started a week earlier. He'd had a headache. Nothing so bad. Just a headache. Next thing he knew Jordan was shaking his shoulder, saying that he'd called and been rambling. He hadn't made any sense. Then the call had cut out. Jordan had called him multiple times but he hadn't answered. That certainly didn't make any sense at all. Jim started avoiding him that day as well, but when he did snuggle, he'd nuzzle up to Josh's ear or nose. 

The same thing happened with Tyler a few days later. Headache, medication, black out. They said he should go to the hospital and he insisted that he was fine. There was nothing wrong with him at all. He was okay. 

Then it happened to Debby. Headache, medication, black out. Waking up to his ex in his house along with Tyler and his brother, all insisting that he needed to go to the hospital. He insisted he was fine. It would be okay. Then the room turned sideways and he was on his  knees in front of the toilet, loosing everything he'd ever eaten. 

He let Jordan give him a ride after that, insisting that it was probably nothing and they were overreacting. He would be okay. It would all be okay. 

He didn't think he'd ever been so wrong in his life. In fact, It was the absolute farthest he'd ever been from okay. Symptoms pointed to bad. So the doctors were ordering a CT scan. And probably an MRI. And blood test. Each result returned with the label of "shit show". But that was impossible. 

He had shows to play. He couldn't spend the next few years with the label "medical disaster". He didn't have time for that. Words were thick and thoughts felt like soup. He was dying. He was sick. His brain was sick and Tyler was probably gonna write a song about it. 

"Excuse me," he said to the man who had been explaining his options for the past half hour, "I think I need to throw up again." He did. Less than a minute after he said it, his head was in a trash can and his shoulders were shaking. He could feel his brothers hand on his back and tears on his own cheeks. It was too much. 

His phone buzzed. It was probably Tyler asking what was happening, or wondering about the photos of him going into the hospital emergency room. A fan had taken them. Probably posted them too. That's what happened when people took photos of him. They got posted on social media before he knew they were even taken. He ignored his phone and turned to his doctor. 

"So you're saying we should start chemo right away?" he asked, "Like... Today?" It was a nerve wracking though. Chemo was for cancer. Which was what he had. He had cancer. He was gonna be one of those bald people who everybody said were brave. He didn't feel brave. He felt like shit. 

The doctor was saying words and Jordan was replying for him. Josh just felt like shit. He felt like the room was spinning and he couldn't make it stop. He grabbed Jordan's shoulder, squeezing nervously. 

"I don't feel good..." he muttered. He felt the bowl pressed into his hands in case he threw up again, but it wasn't that kind of not good. He just felt dizzy and so exhausted. He heard the doctor saying more words. It was aggressive. He knew it was. It was attacking his mind, the entirety of who he was. "Will- drum?" he asked, not getting all the words out. 

"Lay him back," the doctor said, "I think he's going to have a seizure." He could feel his limbs getting heavy. He could feel them not wanting to cooperate. He knew he was laying on his side. Then it cut to black. He woke up in a hospital room with an IV in his arm. 

There was a figure in the room. It was the middle of the night. "Ty.." he said, "Tyler?" 

"Yeah?" Tyler said, not having slept at all.

"I'm scared," Josh said. He felt like he was loosing control. 

"I'm scared too," Tyler replied. He took Josh's hand and squeezed it, not sure what else to do. 


	27. Flag

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Josh wants to make a statement

Josh had seen the flags. They sometimes waved at the concerts, people screaming about being proud of who they were. He never understood how they could do it. Maybe it was easier to be vocal when you were younger. He sure as hell didn't know. And there were so many different ones. Every person seemed to have their own way of saying "this is me," "I belong here". Sometimes he wished he had that sort of confidence. 

He hadn't come to terms with himself until late. It had been an accident while hanging out with Brendon Urie and the guys from Fall Out Boy. They were great guys, and it was something that Brendon had said that caught Josh's attention. 

"I'm gonna do it," Brendon had said, "It's time that I opened up. I'm what... Thirty-one? Yeah... It's about time that I told the world who I am. I'm tired of speculation and hiding. I want them to know." He told everyone after that, came out to the small group of them. "I'm pansexual," he said, "It's who I am." 

The next day it made headlines. Brendon Urie is pansexual and the entire world celebrated it. 

That's what motivated him to say it to himself. Out loud. In the bathroom facing the mirror. He looked himself in the eye and said it. "My name is Josh Dun," he said, "And I am bisexual." It was honestly relieving to even hear the words, so he said them again, "My name is Josh Dun, and I am bisexual." The relief almost brought him to tears. "I am bisexual..." 

Tyler was next. He didn't plan it or make any grand gestures, they were just hanging out and rehearsing when Josh said, "I need to tell everyone something... And I want it to be in the best way possible." 

"What do you want to tell them?" Tyler asked, strumming an Am chord on his ukulele, "Like... Do you mean you wanna make an announcement during the show?" 

"Yeah," Josh nodded, "I wanna do that. I want them to know that..." He paused, realizing he was going to say it out loud to another person. "I'm- well..." he took a deep breath, "I'm bisexual. I'm not straight." 

Tyler nodded. "I have some ideas," he said, "We could like... pass out pride flags or something..." 

Josh smiled, "Nah... Not that big," he said, "But... I uh... I would like to have one." 

Tyler smiled right back. "I think we can do that." 

||-//

They'd just finished off a song and Josh couldn't believe he was doing this. It wasn't like it was Pride or anything, but he knew the twenty gay-teen meme. He was living for it. He could hear Tyler saying the words, feel the flag that was folded and barely fitting into his back pocket. He stood, heading towards the front of the stage. He took the mic, ignoring the stares and the feeling like he was going to throw up. He forgot what he had scripted, and instead he just spoke. 

"Hey guys!" he called, "How are you feeling tonight?" He was met with a wall of cheers. "Alright! That's fantastic! I'm feeling pretty fantastic too! But, it's time to slow things down, and get a little serious..." He took a deep breath, knowing he was up on the big screen, and everyone could see him, the whole world was watching and he couldn't back out. 

"Now... I've noticed something, that you guys always have. Every show we play, I see... Well... I see flags. From all the fans out there, you guys have these flags and they're like... They're beautiful and they all have so much meaning. But since the end of June, there haven't been as many. Almost none actually. So I thought, maybe I should get myself one," he reached back and grabbed his flag with blue, pink, and purple, "Because it is twenty gay-teen!" he cried, letting the flag unfurl and hand where everyone could see it, "My name is Josh Dun! And I am bisexual!" He could hear the crowd cheering him on as he held his flag aloft so they could all see it, "And Twenty One Pilots will always, always be a safe space. For any queer or questioning person! We stand with you!" 

He felt like he could cry as they all cheered him on. The cameras flashed, and he stood with pride. He wanted the world to see him as he is. He felt Tyler's hand on his shoulder and turned, hugging him tight. 


	28. Shelter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler is homeless and Josh offers a place to stay

The rain beat down on Tyler's back, but the thin line of the roof was the best he was going to get. It was normal for him though, especially at this time of the year. The summer was best. He could busk for a few dollars, his original songs falling onto careless ears, but now it was the fall. Winter would settle in soon, and he'd be lucky to not freeze to death when the snow began to fall. 

He'd survive though. Even with all the doubts invading his mind, he always survived. 

He curled in on himself against the cold that beat like drums against his back, starving under a streetlight. It would be okay though. Somehow he always ended up okay. Even when he didn't end up okay. It was backwards, but he supposed that was just how his life was meant to be. 

Until a hand settled on his shoulder. "C'mon," said a voice, "You can crash in my car or something." 

He knew better than to follow. Typically people who offered shelter wanted something in return. But at this point, anything sounded better than being a drowned street rat. He kept his head down as he followed. 

"There's a sleeping bag in the back," the voice, a mans voice, said, "Uh... I'll leave it unlocked so you can get out in the morning. But... If you stick around then I can get you a hot meal." 

Tyler climbed into the passenger seat. He knew he probably smelled awful. He knew the man was wrinkling his nose and trying not to vomit. He kept his head down so he wouldn't have to see it. He couldn't stand the thought of seeing it. He already knew how gross he was. He was less than human in the eyes of everyone. 

"I'm Josh by the way," the man continued, "Uh.. Josh Dun..." He was awkward. It was clear he felt weird about this. "I uh... I drive by you on my way to work. You busk in the summer right? You play ukulele?" 

Tyler nodded. "Yeah..." he said, "That's me." He didn't know what else to say about it. He was just a homeless musician. Another starving artist with nothing going for him. He was disgusting and he knew it. 

"I tipped you every day," Josh said, "Whenever I passed. I always wanted to stop and play with you." 

Tyler knew who the man was. "You gave me the hundred." He said, "I used it to buy... subway... and I got Jenna and Debby tampons... and... I stayed the night in a hotel." He smiled, "I knew I should save it... But that bed felt so fucking good." He swallowed, "You tip good. I know you." 

Josh laughed and Tyler felt the car pull to a stop. "Do you... maybe wanna come inside? You could shower and shave and... I'll treat you to some take out." 

Tyler felt his stomach grumble at the mere thought of hot food. "Please..." he said. 

"C'mon," Josh said, "Let's get inside." 

Tyler followed, still keeping his eyes down. He didn't look around or try to take note of the house. A shower was just too tempting and he didn't care what trouble he got into for it. He just wanted to feel clean. Josh brought him to the bathroom, gesturing to where the shampoo and conditioner were, as well as towels. 

"Uh... I have some spare things..." He said, "And I can throw your clothes in the wash..." 

Tyler just nodded, not having the energy to fight. He just wanted to feel like he was worth something. It was a difficult thing to feel outside of the summer months. He turned the water on hot and stripped before climbing underneath the spray. He watched it make tracks in the dirt on his skin. He scrubbed it away, making himself a skin tone lighter. He took his time, scrubbing his tangled hair twice to clean it out. 

When he finally climbed out and looked in the mirror, he didn't even recognize himself. He looked so different. He took the clothes that Josh had left and pulled them on. They were soft and fresh and smelled so clean. He felt like he was in heaven. He could smell the food Josh had ordered and realized he must've been in the shower longer than he had expected. 

Mouth watering, he made his way down the stairs. Josh grinned at him, he had a pretty grin. "Wow," he said, "You look like a million bucks! Tomorrow we should get you a haircut." 

Tyler couldn't help but agree. 


	29. Civilization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tyler's escape from Dema

There was nothing outside the city. Or a least that's what they were told. They were so lucky to be alive and thriving there, but it didn't feel like thriving. It felt like they were trapped with no way out. They were the only ones left. There was no one outside. They shouldn't even bother looking. That's what they were forced to believe. Nothing else was out there. No one would hear their cries for help. They were the lucky ones. 

There was no culture where they sat. There was no art to tell their stories. There was shades of grey in their walls and clothes. Children didn't smile, instead they simply feared. It wasn't much, but it was all the world they knew. All the world he knew. 

He went from day to day with his head down, eyes on the ground. Don't look suspicious. Don't let them know what you know. He didn't smile when he got the letters, didn't make a sound. There was no color in the city, no emotion at all. Just a numbness that linked them all. He could feel the numbness in everyone. 

"Tonight," the note read. Only a single word that put everyone who had ever looked at him in danger. Tonight. He would see them tonight. Despite the terror it should've brought, he felt fearless, like nothing could stop him. 

He felt someone look at him and realized he was breaking his numbness, so he shoved the note into his mouth. He had no where else to hide it and it was best to destroy it completely. No evidence for anyone to find. He swallowed, able to feel the word filling him. Tonight. He would join in tonight. He would see the outside tonight. 

Alone in his room he practiced the motions. Rebels didn't break in for just any reason. If he was to join them, he needed to be serious about it. He needed to leave a mark and show that there was no turning back. He needed the world to know that there was a better life. Don't listen to the priests. There's something else out there. Music and art and a reason to keep on living. 

The night was the only cover as he pulled on his jacket and made his way down. Out of his room towards the torchlight. The warmth of the fire, the beauty of color. He needed to feel it. He saw their leader first, the yellow X across his chest. He stepped forward, feeling their anger, their hardship, something other than the numbness that seemed to seep into every crack of Dema. 

The leader stepped forward, pulling down his mask. "Tyler," he said simply. 

"Josh," Tyler replied with a smile. He held up his hand, ready to run. The movements were swift and solid, practiced and fluid. It was effortless. He looked at Josh, and he knew by the light in the other mans eyes. 

"Are you running?" Josh asked. 

"Into the morning sun," Tyler replied, "Where all my life is washed away, and all I did will be undone." Josh smiled. And Tyler smiled back. There was a shift, and Tyler felt something that wasn't darkness and depression. It wasn't anger. It was light and warmth. It was his life changing for the better and him taking the action to make it that way. 

Josh nodded, "Then let's go," he said. His hand was still on Tyler's as they made their way out. 

They wound through tunnels Tyler didn't know existed and he felt hands on his shoulders, marking him as one of them. He wasn't controlled anymore, he was a rebel, a bandito. He took a deep breath as  he stepped into the sunlight, letting himself feel it, letting himself soak it in. He was free. It would time to rid himself of the teachings of the priests, but for today he was free and for now he was feeling. 

"Everyone who rebels goes through it differently," he was once told by a face in the dark, "Some find a passion to help them out, some find people. But we escape Dema together. We leave hand in hand. Find the spark and use it to rebel, create art and use color. Make it loud and whisper it to the world. The farther you are from it, the harder it is to let them control you. When going back means losing it all, then you'll begin to fight to stay away." 

He had simply nodded, agreeing to escape. He had found color in a flower. He'd kept the petals hidden from sight. He'd grown into a person he had not been before. 


	30. Finished

At the end of the day, it was the last thing he had to do. He couldn't believe how soon it had felt. Like four years had simply breezed by without a second thought. He couldn't believe it was over now.  It was all over. This was really the end of the era. 

He ran warm water over his hands, able to see the body paint rinsing away down the drain. The paint on his throat would be harder. It might take some scrubbing, definitely a shower. Sad as it was to say goodbye, he was almost excited to see what came next. It wouldn't be the same songs at every show anymore. It would be something new. 

He headed out of the dressing room with clean hands, heading for the hotel to get properly clean and changed and ready to face whatever came next. When one album ended, another began, and technically this one had already begun. The beats and rhythms were already in his head, all he needed was the words. He had more stories to tell, he just needed to find the symbols to tell them with. He needed a break though. 

He needed to focus on what he was doing now, not showing the fans what he was up to twenty-four-seven. He needed some time without distractions. 

"Hey," Josh said, stepping up beside him, most of his eye makeup still on though he'd clearly attempted to wipe it off, "Last show. How was it?" 

Tyler just shook his head and smiled. "It was fantastic..." he admitted, "Incredibly fantastic." He took a deep breath, climbing into the car. "And I think it's time for us to take a break." 

Josh nodded, climbing in next to him. "Yeah," he said, "I think you might just be right about that..." He looked at Tyler, "Shall we finish up the interviews and just... How should we do it?" 

"Uh..." Tyler swallowed, "Let's finish up the interviews, and talk to our manager. We'll just disappear from social media for a while." He looked out the window. "We'll just... figure out our personal lives away from everyone. Maybe you can reconnect with that girl you met in New York. And... I can get started on writing the next album." 

Josh nodded. "You mean Lilia? Hell yeah... I'll let her know to keep it low key. Are you gonna do the same with Jenna?" 

Tyler nodded. "Yeah. But I know she'll still post every once in a while," he smiled. There really was no controlling her, and he would never even dream of trying. He looked at Josh, still smiling. "I think it's time to go to sleep..." he said, "We'll set it all up, leave them something to puzzle over."

"The clique does love a puzzle," Josh murmured, leaning back in his seat, already half asleep from the post show exhaustion, "But it'll have to connect to what we're doing next. Otherwise they'll be insulted." He threw Tyler a smile, which Tyler returned. 

"Yeah..." he said, "And our fans are far too great to insult. They deserve better." He turned back to the window. "We can work on it more tomorrow... Like... I have ideas already, but nothing solid." 

"You always have ideas," Josh muttered, eyes shut, "Throw 'em at me." 

Tyler smiled, knowing that his friend wasn't going to absorb a single word he said and the whole conversation would definitely be forgotten in the morning. "Well... like... With tarot cards," he began, "Death is a card of new beginnings. So... I dunno... The past is dead. So maybe we could use something from that. I know Blurryface was my anxieties, maybe it's time to face another piece of myself, something that I struggled with and I know a lot of people struggle with..." He sighed, watching street lamps pass by. 

"I want it to be positive though. The death of old attitudes for the birth of something new. Leaving a place where you're trapped to thrive in a new life..." He chewed his lip, "Escaping from depression... Y'know. Whether it's through medication or the help of the people around you... I want to write about that... What do you think?" 

He looked at Josh, who simply snored in response. He was dead to the world, and Tyler understood why. Even with the weight of Blurryface lifted from his shoulders, he was exhausted. He didn't hesitate to scoot over next to Josh and rest his head on the other mans shoulder. 

Thoughts still raced through his mind, but the work was done, Blurryface was over. It was time to flip the Death card and begin a new era. And Tyler couldn't wait to see what happened next. He could not wait. 


End file.
